1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to wireless local area networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to detecting a counterfeit access point in a wireless local area network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computers have traditionally communicated with each other through wired local area networks (“LANs”). However, with the increased demand for mobile computers such as laptops, personal digital assistants, and the like, wireless local area networks (“WLANs”) have developed as a way for computers to communicate with each other through transmissions over a wireless medium using radio signals, infrared signals, and the like.
In order to promote interoperability of WLANs with each other and with wired LANs, the IEEE 802.11 standard was developed as an international standard for WLANs. Generally, the IEEE 802.11 standard was designed to present users with the same interface as an IEEE 802 wired LAN, while allowing data to be transported over a wireless medium.
Although WLANs provide users with increased mobility over wired LANs, the security of communications over a WLAN can vary for reasons that are not present in wired LANs. For instance, a counterfeit access can pose as an authorized access point in the WLAN. Stations in the WLAN can mistakenly associate with the counterfeit access point and can send confidential information to the counterfeit access point, without knowing that the counterfeit access point is unsecure. Consequently, the counterfeit access point can obtain confidential information from stations in the WLAN. Accordingly, the presence of a counterfeit access point can present security problems in a WLAN.